The Garlick Press – Monday, March 8, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is a great privilege to represent the people of Needham, Dover, and Medfield in the State Legislature. As we begin this new legislative session – I wanted to share with you that I have been nominated by the Speaker and elected by my colleagues to serve as the Chair of the Bills in the Third Reading Committee. I actively sought this position so that I can engage meaningfully with all members of the House of Representatives at the final step in bringing a bill to the floor for debate and vote. In the way that I work with the people of my District, I will work thoughtfully and carefully through the members of the House to ensure we continue to meet the needs of the residents, strengthen services and strive to make Massachusetts a leader in our many shared values.

Yours in Service,
Denise

• In Needham, the Town and Public Health Department have launched a new COVID-19 dashboard. This dashboard provides details information about COVID-19 cases in Needham and the progress on vaccination efforts. To learn more, click here.
• In Dover, the Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting applications for Summer Counselors. They are looking for Dover residents, ages 16 and older, who are interested in working with children and their families. To learn more, click here.
• In Medfield, the local Election will be held on March 29, 2021 at the Center of Medfield. The last day to register to vote for this election is tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, 2021. To learn more, click here.

• In Needham,
  • the Substance Prevent Alliance of Needham (SPAN) is meeting on Tuesday, March 9, at 8:30 AM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a guest presentation from Dr. Safdar Medina on Cannabis and the Teen Brain. To learn more, click here.
  • the Select Board is meeting on Tuesday, March 9, at 6:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a discussion on the Needham United Against Racism initiative. To learn more, click here.
• in Dover
  • the Community Center Building Committee is meeting on Tuesday, March 9, at 6:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a report on Energy Efficiency & HVAC Systems & the March 8 Planning Board meeting. To learn more, click here.
  • the Board of Selectmen will be meeting on Thursday, March 11 at 6:30 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the Town of Dover website. To learn more, click here.
• in Medfield,
  • the Warrant Committee will be meeting on Monday, March 8 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a discussion and review of Town Departmental Budgets. To learn more, click here.
  • the Board of Selectmen will be meeting on Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a discussion on the FY2022 operating and capital budgets and financial policies. To learn more, click here.

• The Department of Public Health has updated the list of states designated as “lower-risk” for the COVID-19 travel restriction. Travelers from Missouri, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico may travel to Massachusetts and not complete the travel form. To learn more, click here.
• Starting Thursday, March 11, K-12 educators, early childhood educators, and school staff will be eligible to register for the COVID-19 vaccine at all 170 vaccine sites in Massachusetts. To learn more, click here.
• The mass vaccination site at Fenway Park will begin to transition to the Hynes Convention Center. Appointments will begin at Hynes on Thursday, March 18. The last day for appointments at Fenway will be March 27. To learn more, click here.

• Massachusetts is currently in Phase 3, Step 2 of the Massachusetts Reopening plan. Under this phase indoor performance venues and indoor recreational activities will be able to reopen at 50% capacity. In addition, capacity limits across all sectors will increase to 50% and restaurants will no longer have a percent capacity limit. To learn more, click here.
• If you have questions, input, or comments regarding the Reopening Massachusetts plan, you can submit comments online. These comments can be used by the Administration to support efforts to methodically reopen the economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the form.

• If you are in need of resources, information, or support, please visit my website for a list of resources. Additionally, our local boards of health, the Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control are continuing to maintain websites with the most updated information regarding COVID-19 that you can access here:

• Needham Health Department Updates
• Medfield Updates
• Dover Updates
• Department of Public Health: Click here or Call 2-1-1.
• Reopening Massachusetts
• COVID-19 Travel Order
• Centers for Disease Control